We all want Clayton to continue to prosper. As residents, we have enjoyed a unique lifestyle supported by the exceptional delivery of city services and outstanding facilities. To continue to provide this level of excellence, our City must have a balanced budget.

Did you know that for the past three years, the City of Clayton has run a budget deficit and used $10 million from our reserve funds to make up the difference?

We can’t do this forever. The reserve fund was created to fund capital improvements to grow our community. I believe we can address our budget issues with a two-pronged approach:

• First, we need to proactively address city spending.
• Second, we need to change our approach to economic development in order to increase our revenues.

Let’s start with reducing our expenditures - How can we do it? If elected Mayor of Clayton, I'm prepared to reduce expenses without sacrificing services or safety.  I will:

• Start NOW. There’s no reason to wait three years before looking for solutions.

• Enlist our outstanding City workforce.  In Clayton, our City services are outstanding because we enjoy outstanding City employees. They know where we can make changes to save money and eliminate waste, without sacrificing safety or service.

• Establish a process improvement approach in all City operations. Looking for ways to streamline operations should be a constant effort.

• Share resources where it makes sense. Can we partner with the School District to improve services and save money for both organizations? Can we find additional ways to save costs and improve efficiencies with our neighboring municipalities? Let’s proactively look for more opportunities to share expenses.

In my next blog post, I’ll share my thoughts on Economic Development. You can also learn more about my ideas and vision for Clayton's future by visiting my website, www.BergerforClaytonMayor.com.

I’d also like to hear some of your ideas on how we can more efficiently use your tax dollars. You can share your ideas with me via email (AlexBergerIIIforMayor@gmail.com), Facebook (Alex Berger III for Mayor of Clayton) or Twitter (@ab3formayor).